Let's be honest—we all love the smell of fresh bread straight out of the oven. But when we think about the kneading, waiting, and mess, it's easy to give up before we even start.

That's exactly how we felt—until we tried this five-ingredient bread recipe that needs no kneading, no fancy machine, and just one bowl. Yes, really!

The backstory: Our sap-cooking season wraps up

Before we dive into the recipe, here's a little look into our week. We've been cooking sap for maple syrup, and after a long, 16-hour day that stretched from 9 a.m. to 1 a.m., we finally called it a wrap. It's been a satisfying run—collecting sap, chopping firewood, and tending the sugar shack fire. But now, we're ready to hang up our boots and tuck all the syrup tools away. Until next spring!

Big family, big bread needs

Back when our household was filled with nine people, we used to bake four loaves of bread at a time. Honestly, those loaves were gone in just a couple of days—our family couldn't get enough! But now, it's just the two of us at home. We still want fresh bread, but without the heavy lifting (or the mountain of cleanup).

Why we needed a simpler way

We thought about getting a bread machine but didn't want another appliance hogging our counter space. Then we came across a video from a country cook on YouTube. Her method was so laid-back and beginner-friendly, we had to try it ourselves. Turns out, her peasant bread was as easy as it looked!

The best part? No kneading!

We were shocked by how little effort this recipe takes. It doesn't require any kneading—just mix, let it rise, and bake. And it only uses ingredients we already had in the pantry. This bread came out with a soft center and a golden crust. One thing we're still tweaking is the salt—if you like a lighter taste, you might want to reduce it slightly.

Let's bake this bread together

Here's what you'll need:

• 2 cups of all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon sugar

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon active dry yeast

• 1 cup of warm water

In a large mixing bowl, stir everything together until fully combined—don't forget to scrape the flour from the bottom. The dough will look a bit sticky, and that's perfect.

Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and leave it in a warm spot for two hours. By then, the dough will have puffed up nicely. Use a fork to pull the dough away from the edges and gather it into the center.

Time to shape and bake

Grease any oven-safe dish you like—a bread pan, cast iron skillet, or even a glass bowl. Move the dough into the greased dish and let it rest again for 30 minutes. While you wait, preheat your oven to 350°F (about 175°C).

Bake the dough for 30–35 minutes, or until the top turns golden. Once done, remove it from the dish and let it cool on a rack. We love to rub a bit of butter on top while it's hot—it softens the crust and adds extra flavor.

A few quick tips

We use active dry yeast, so we like to mix it with sugar and warm water first to activate it before adding it to the flour. If your yeast doesn't foam after a few minutes, it may be inactive. But feel free to toss everything into the bowl at once if your yeast is more instant-type—it works either way!

Have fun and experiment!

This recipe is so flexible. You can add herbs, a touch of honey, or swap part of the flour for whole wheat if you're feeling adventurous. Try it your way and share your twist with us—we'd love to hear how your version turns out!

Lykkers, we want to hear from you!

Have any creative ideas to adjust the salt or want to share your own super-easy bread recipe? We're all ears! Let's make baking feel simple and fun, without the mess or stress. Fresh bread doesn't have to be hard—and now, we've got proof.

Let us know if you give this recipe a try. Happy baking!